Online Learning vs. Correspondence Courses 

Online Learning vs. Correspondence Courses: What's the Difference?

PHOENIX, AZ (MMD Newswire) August 12, 2009 -- The world of online learning and its innovative instruction techniques have made incredible leaps and bounds over the last twenty years, providing educational opportunities for those too distant or too busy to complete traditional programs. Unfortunately, many people still believe that online learning is like the correspondence schools of yesteryear: a series of assignments completed as self-study, and submitted for grading to some nameless, faceless administrator who simply checks that the work has been completed. While there may still be some online certificate and degree programs that subscribe to this out-dated model, Dunlap-Stone University (DSU) does not. Instead, DSU has created a dynamic, interactive learning model that many students find to be more conducive to student learning and allows for greater student interaction with their instructor than traditional college classrooms or training events.

At first glance, dynamic, interactive, discussion-driven instruction seems to be in congruent with the flexibility of asynchronous online learning, in which students log in whenever it is most convenient for them. The ability to "attend" class when it fits the students schedule could lead some to believe that courses are simply self-study. But the DSU online education model requires that students log in and meaningfully participate in ongoing discussions at least five days per week. There is no passive recitation of material in the DSU electronic classroom. Instead, students use class lectures, reading assignments and other supplemental materials to engage in written, threaded discussions with their peers and their subject-matter-expert faculty member to delve deeper into the subjects taught. Open-ended questions and peer-interaction require students not only to devise an answer, but often to defend their analysis or point of view, bringing a technological spin to the Socratic Method. Unable to hide in the back of a lecture hall, the stringent participation and posting requirements, mean that interactive application of the material in the discussion questions comprise, on average, 40% of a student's overall grade. Students confide that they gain not only a deeper understanding of the material within the discussions, but are better able to articulate their positions as a result. Learners demonstrate that they understand the major topics and learning outcomes (clearly articulated in each course) by applying their knowledge not only in discussions, but also in written assignments, case studies, as well as standardized exams.

Online learning should be much more than a Powerpoint presentation followed by an online quiz. Many organizations claim to offer quality, credit-bearing programs online (be it college credit, CEUs or CLEs), but just because a course is offered via computer doesn't mean that a program subscribes to the same high quality standards as Dunlap-Stone University. Even some accredited higher education institutions simply require students to read a packet of information, and then send assignments to an instructor without any significant feedback. These organizations miss out on the incredible rich opportunities afforded by distance learning technologies.

Adults learn best when they can apply the material to real-world situations and call upon their own experiences to internalize the material and create real knowledge-building opportunities with appropriate guidance and feedback from an experienced instructor/mentor in an interactive environment. Quality online education programs, such as those offered by DSU, take the best elements from traditional classroom instruction, small group facilitation and outcomes-based assessment methods and adapt each to best meet the needs of working adults through the use of technology. In classes led by trained facilitators who are expert working practitioners in the fields they teach, students learn not only the academic theory or history or a topic, but also can apply what they learn immediately to their lives and careers. Yet unlike one-day seminars or other short training events, DSU online courses earn college credit from a nationally accredited institution of higher learning. Rather than superficial or passive learning events, courses offered by the university assure that students meet specific verified and tangible learning objectives. Continuous course revisions mean that materials are up-to-date. Courses utilize all three learning modalities to ensure that different learning styles are addressed: students read the material; they write about the topics and they are immersed in the topics as they discuss and defend their understanding with their contemporaries and instructor. Equally important, DSU's online learning model allows for full immersion into topics on the student's own schedule, allowing them to balance learning with work, home and life's demands. DSU students are more than just a number; they are individuals who bring their unique experiences and points of view to their classroom discussions, and this personal attention is one of the hallmarks of a professionally significant degree or certification.

So how does DSU's online learning experience compare to a traditional directed self-study or correspondence course? It is like comparing a Model "T" Ford to a modern high performance car. Both may get you to your destination, but the effort and quality of the journey are light years apart. Technological innovation and educational best practices meet in Dunlap-Stone University's electronic classrooms, giving working adults the chance to take part in quality, accredited educational programs that offer not only the flexibility they require, but the interaction and support they crave.

DSU is a premiere online university. It is nationally accredited by the Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). DETC is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency. Dunlap-Stone University is an Arizona private for-profit corporation. It is licensed by the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education as an online bachelor degree granting university. The school offers an accredited Bachelor of Science degree in International Trade Management with three potential emphasis areas: Trade Compliance Management; Global Supply Chain Management, and Management. DSU is an institutional member of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), the Career College Association (CCA) and U.S. Military's Servicemember Opportunity Colleges (SOC). The International Import-Export Institute, the business school within DSU, is the global authority for international trade certification. It is recognized by the U.S. Government, the Government of the People's Republic of China and nations around the world.

Contact:
Caulyne Barron
By Caulyne Barron,
VP Online Learning,
Dunlap-Stone University
Phoenix, az
(602) 648-5750
(800) 474-8013
cbarron@dunlap-stone.edu
www.dunlap-stone.edu

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